Fog crossing signal



April 7, 1925.

H. A. HOLM FOG CROSSING SIGNAL Filed May 9, 1924 Q\ 5 4?} ix. 7 1.3 m\ my NN Q QM Patented Apr. 7, 1925.

UNETEHE STATES HANS lA. HOLM, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

FOG CROSSING SIGNAL.

Application filed May 9,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, HANS A. Home, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Fog Crossing Signal; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention. relates to a signally device, and particularly to such a device used in connection with a train or car moving on a railway. It is the common practice to have signal posts either illuminated or non-illumi nated along the railway track to indi re to the engineer or driver of the train or car that the whistle should be blown, the bell lung, or the speed of the train regulated at certain points. If the weather is very foggy or a storm is in progress it is frequently diiiicult or impossible for the engineer or driver of the train to see these signal aosts.

It is an object of the invention, therefore, to provide a signalling device which will notify the engineer or driver of the train or car that he is passing a point where some action is necessary on his part.

it is a further object ot-the invention to provide such a device comprising an alarm carried in the train adjacent the engineer or-drivers position operatively connected with a contact member on the train which is adapted to engage with a contact member disposed along the track whereby the alarm is actuated.

It is more specifically an object of the invention to provide such a signalling device having an alarm carried on the train connected in an electric circuit, which circuit is adapted to be closed by movement of" the contact member into engagement with another member to close the circuit and apply the alarm, said contact member being movable by striking another contact member disposed along the railway track, which latter contact member is arranged so that it may be depressed when struck by the first contact member and also preferably provided with means whereby it may again be placed in operative position.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made 1110(2111160131011 with the accompanying drawings in which 1924. Serial No. 712,162.

7 like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views, and in which V l v Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the device and a portion of a train carrying the same, the support for the truck and the pit containing a portion of the device being shown in different positions in dotted lines;

Fi 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrows; and i Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2, as indicated by the arrows and shown on a slightly enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawings, a railway track 1 is indicated supported on the usual cross ties 2 on which track a train or car is adapted to move, and in the embodiment of the invention, a portion of a locomotive is shown disposed on the tracl: comprising the forward portion or pilot 3, wheels 1, and the engineers cabin 5, the boiler 01 the locomotive also being shown as 6. in accordance with the present invention, an alarm device is used and disposed in the cabin 5 adjacent the engineers posltion. VVlnle the alarm may be of various kinds, 1n the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the same is shown as an electric bell 7 of ordinary type, the same being connected to electrical conductors 8 and 9, in the latter one of which a source of electrical energy, such as a battery 10 is disposed. The member 11 is secured to thepilot 3 to which is hingedly attached a bar 12. The bar 12 carries at its forward end a pivoted contact member 13 and said bar 12 also carries a member 14 adapted to be engaged by the member 13 when the latter is pushed or swung rearwardly. The contacts 8 and 9 are connected, respectively,'to the members 13 and 1 1-, the member 14L preferably being insulated from the members 12 and 13. The member 12 is adapted to be swung upwardly to the dotted 'line position shown in Fig. 1 where it rests against the front of the boiler 6.

The contact member 13 is adapted to engage another contact member or swinging arm 15 provided with the inclined sides 15 at its upper end with one of which the contact member 13 is adapted to engage. The arm 15 is disposed adjacent the rails of the track 1. and while the same may be placed in any convenient position along said rails, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, it is shown as mounted in a pit 16 disposed substantially intermediate or centrally of the rails o1 track 1. The pit is illustrated as being formed in a concrete emplacement 1.7 in which are secured spaced bearings 18. The shaft 19 is journaled in thehearing's 18 and held from longitudinal movement therein by suitable collars 2O pinned thereto. The arm is provided adjacent its lower end with hub 15 projecting at either side thereof, which hub is traversed at its ends by diametrically ex tending V-shaped notches 15, said notches being disposed substantially at right angles to each other. Keyed upon the shaft 1!) to slide thereon and disposed at each side of the hub15 are "members 21 having on their adjacent faces diametrically extending ribs disposed substantially right angles to each other and adapted to engage in the notches 15 in the hub 15, said ribs and notches being of V-shape in cross section. The members 21. are urged into engagement with the hub 15 the comoression springs 22 disposed between the same and the inner 'bearing's 18. Yl he shaft lflis extended at one end and'has secured thereto a ratchet wheel 23. ibdjacent the ratchet wheel 23'is an arm 24 iournaled on the shaft 19 and carrying a spring-actuated' pawl 25 adapted to engage with the teeth on the ratchet wheel 23. Said ratchet wheel and lever are held in position on said shaft by spaced collars '26 pinned to the shatt'at the sides or" said wheel and lever. The lever 24 normally is held in one position, as shown in Fig. 3, by a tension spring 27 secured to said lever and to a stationary member such as a post 28 adjacent the shaft 19. The lever 24 is pivotally connected at its end to one end of a link or cable 29 adapted to extend some distance from the shaft 19' and to be connected at its other end with the intermediate portion of a hand lever 30 secured to a shaft 31 journaled in suitable bearings 32'adjacent a toothed segment The lever 30 is provided with a spring-actuated pawl adapted to seat in the notches between the teeth of segment 33, which pawl is actuated by the usual grip handle The arm 15 may be equipped with an illuminating means (not shown) and with the" transparent lenses 36 at either side thereof. The member 37 which will be in the form of a resilient pad, is disposed in the bottom of the pit 16 in position to be engaged by the side of arm 15 when the latter is depressed.

In operation, the arm 15 will be placed at a point where it is desired to signal the engineer and as the train passes said point, with the arm 12 in the operative position shownin full lines in Fig. 1, the contact member 13 will engage the top of arm 1-5. This engagement will swing the member 13 rearwardly and bring; the same into engagement with the member 1 1. This will close the circuit through the conductors 8 and 9 and the alarm 7 so that said alarm will be sounded. A signal will thus be given to the engineer to warn him thathe is passing a point where it is necessary to perform some operation, such as blowing a whistle, ringing a bell, slackening the speed of the train. '1, he engineer will know by the local ity and his approximate whereabouts what the operation should be. As the arm 15 is struck by the member 137 the arm will be given a quick impulse to swing about the shaft 19. This will causethe ribs on the members 21 tobe camined out of the 'grooves and the arm 15 will be depressed to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The impact or the arms from being struck to this position will be relieved by the resilient member or pad 37. After the train has passed and the signal has thus been operated, the arm 15 may be again brought to its vertical position by an operator swing;- ing the lever 30. When the arm 15 is swung down to its horizontal position, the ribs in members 21 will again engage in the slots 15. As the leverSO is swung the arm or lever 24L vill he oscillated, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and shaft 19 will be rotated byiratchet wheel 28. This will raise theiarm 15 to its vertical position so that it is again in position to be contacted to operate the alarm in the train. The illuminated lens 36 in the arm 15 may be used to indicate to the operator who will be located at' some distance therefrom that the signal is a ain in operative position.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a simple and efficient means for signalling the engineer or driver of a train or car when he is passing certain points. The device is quite simple, easily installed at small expense and is very efliective in operation.

It will, of "course, be understood, that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing" from the scope of applicants invention, which. enerally stated,

consists in such a device as shown and described and defined in applicants claims.

What is claimed is: 7

1. A signalling device for a train or car comprising'an alarm. carried by said train, a contact member on said train operatively connected to said alarm, a depressible means engaged adjacent the track adapted to be engaged by said contact member to operate the same and sound said alarm, a yielding clutch means for holding said means in operative or inoperative position, and means for moving said depressible means from inoperative to operative position.

2: A. signalling device for a train comprising an alarm carried bysaid train, a movable contact member on said train, a member alarm, means engaging said arm pern'iitt-ing movement thereof and adapted to hold the same in operative or inoperative position, and manual means for moving said arm from inoperative to operative position.

3. A contact device adapted to be posi-' tioned adjacent a train track comprising a horizontal. shaft, bearingsin which said shaft is jonrnaled, an arm journaled on said shaft, spring-pressed members slidableon and non-rotatable relatively to said shaft at each side of said arm and adapted to engage the same, a tongue and groove means on said arm and members respectively adapted to hold said arm in vertical or horizontal position, an arm jonrnaled on the end of said shaft, and means secured to said shaft adapted to be engaged by said arm to turn said shaft and move said arm from horizontal and vertical position.

4. A contact device positioned adjacent the track and adapted to be engaged by a contact member on the train comprising a vertically disposed arm, yielding means for holding said arm in vertical position adapted to permit said arm to be depressed to substantially horizontal position and for bold ing the same in horizontal position, a memher on which said armis movable to vertical and horizontal position, and means for swinging said member and yielding means to move said arm from horizontal to vertical position.

A contact device adapted to be positioned adjacent a train track comprising a vertically disposed arm having a hub adiacent one end, a shaft on which said hub is rnaled, members slidable on and rotata 1: 11 y secured to said shaft at each side of said 1L1), resilient m ans pressing said members lito engagement with said hub, said hub and members having angularly spaced interengaging grooves and ribs thereon whereby said arms can be knocked to horizontal position, and means for turning said shaft to raise said arm.

6. The structure set forth in claim 5, said last mentioned means comprising a ratchet wheel secured to said shaft, a pawl-carrying lever adjacent said ratchet wheel, and manually operated means connected to said lever for swinging said shaft and ratchet.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HANS A. HOLM. 

